Yarn twisting,bulking and winding machine



Aug. 25, 1970 c. D. ANTON! ETAL 3,525,205

YARN TWISTING, BULKING AND WINDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March4, 1 968 Curio Desk flntgy ml ius r i FYizi Aug. 25, 1970 C. D. ANTONIETAL YARN TWISTING, BULKING AND WINDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 4, 1968 INVENTORS ugerre MQSCL Cm-1d D2 16 Antmi ml i.

BY r 1 g- 1970 c. D. ANTON! ETALi 3,525,205

YARN TWISTING, BULKING AND WINDING MACHINE Filed March 4, 1968@Sheets-Sheet 5 ISI 1N VENTORS Cmld Deal; ni'omg w .iusarre MasciAus.25, 1970 fa N A 35.25305 I YARN TwIs'r1Ne,- BULKING AND WINDINGMACHINE Filed March 4, 19 68 I f I '4'ShegNs-Shet 4 INVENTORS J6 Adan;Ir

United States Patent US. CI. 57-34 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis disclosure relates to a continuously operating yarn twisting,bulking and winding machine comprising a twisting device imparting areal twist to the yarn, a heater in the path of the yarn where the yarnis thermically treated to cause the bulking or relaxation thereof andcooled and a winding device through which the processed yarn is woundinto bobbins, and a plurality of yarn guiding and entraining devices.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-partapplication of the parent application Ser. No. 499,796, filed Oct. 21,1965, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a yarn twisting, bulking and windingmachine particularly adapted for synthetic yarns partly or entirelycomposed of shrinkable or bicomponent fibres, i.e., yarns composed offibres or threads treated differently or having different behaviourunder the action of heat. Included among the yarns considered arehigh-bulk type acrylic yarns and yarns based on acrylic, polyamideand/or polyester bicomponent fibres and/or yarns.

It is known that for twisting of yarns, particularly acrylic yarns, inwhich the twist imparted is not the socalled false twist, but a realtwist, that is one which involves a permanent twist of one or morefibres or threads between each other, it is necessary to use machineswhich effect the twisting of the yarn. If it is desired to obtain theso-called high bulk type from these yarns, after the twisting in suchmachines the yarns must be successively thermically treated in order toobtain a differential contraction or shrinkage of the threads or fiberswhich form the yarn. To such purpose it has been until now necessary totransform the yarns into skeins or cakes, and then thermically treatthem, that is relax and finally reel or wind them. In fact, in order toobtain high bulk yarns, it has until now been considered indispensableto subject the yarn in the form of skein, or occasionally cake, to aheat treatment in water or steam which involved a discontinuity in thewinding of the yarn. It was not, in fact, conceivable to subject linearextending or bobbin-wound yarn to heat treatment because it wasnecessary to permit the yarn to freely relax, that is to permit thedifferentiated contraction of the single threads and/or fibers in orderto obtain the high bulk type. Loose skeins permitted however thisrelaxation and consequently the skein winding step was generallyadopted. In fact the thread wound on a bobbin was too compact to permitthe desired deformation thereof. These successive steps determinehowever an operative slowness and complicate the work cycle.

In the art, machines are also known which are intended to produce thesuccession of the twisting, heat treatment and continuous reeling orwinding operations. Such machines, however, are generally applicable forcontinuous filament yarns subjected to a false twist. In this case theheat treatment is not comparable with the relaxation which lends to highbulk type yarn, or yarn based on bicomponent fibers, inasmuch as itserves to set the helical form conferred to the thread following thefalse twist and must be effected on the thread when it is taut and undertwisting action. Until now not only was it never considered that suchmachines could be adopted also to obtain high bulk yarns, or bicomponentfibre yarns, but on the contrary the working of such machines engenderedthe belief that such adaptation was impossible.

As already pointed out, machines of this kind for continuouslyprocessing yarns do not lend themselves to processing yarns on which areal twist and a simultaneous heat induced shrinkage and bulking areeffected.

The applicants have found that in machines used for such working it isnecessary to provide, along the feed line of the yarn, at least one zonein which the heating of the yarn occurs, permitting at the same time andin the same zone also the bulking (so called relaxation) of the fibresforming the high bulk yarn. Moreover, the applicants have found that inorder to obtain totally satisfactory results in the twisting andparticularly in the successive relaxation of the described type it isindispensable that the twisting of the yarn occurs before the heatingzone (heating tube) in order to obtain the relaxation of the threadafter the twisting, so that also such twisting is stably set on thethread itself. The applicants have further found that it is necessarythat, during the passage of the yarn through the heating tube, that isin the heating and relaxation zone, the thread is not maintained undertension, but on the contrary a difference of from 15 to 30% between theyarn feeding speed prior to the entrance into the heating zone and theyarn collecting speed after the heating zone be foreseen and calculatedin order to allow the longitudinal shrinkage and simultaneous bulking ofthe yarn in order to obtain the high bulk type. For such reason it isnot possible to obtain satisfactory results on threads of the said typewith the use of machines which cannot use the methods or findingsdescribed above.

The main object of the present invention is consequently that ofproviding a yarn twisting, relaxing and winding machine particularlyadapted for partially or completely shrinkable yarns (for exampleacrylic high bulk type yarns or yarns based on heat-relaxablebicomponent fibers) which enables the relaxation (bulking) of the threadafter twisting, so that it may have a full and satisfactory touch, andthat is without the skein or cake formation step.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear moreclearly from the following detailed description of one embodiment of theyarn twisting, bulking and winding machine according to the inventionillustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawing inwhich:

FIGS. 1 and 1a, which are complemental when placed in verticalalignment, show in vertical section along the line -I--I of FIG. 2 theupper and lower parts respectively of said machine;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show in a reduced scale a front view along the line II-IIof FIG. -3 and a side view along the arrow III of FIG. 2, respectively;

FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic view according to the. arrow IVIV of FIG. 2and FIG. 5 shows a combination scheme of heaters in sideby-sidearrangement.

With reference to the drawing reference numeral 1 indicates the frame ofthe machine. In the lower part of said machine per se known real twistproducing devices are provided, for example double twist producingdevices, in side-by-side relationship. The twisting devices may beadvantageously of the type manufactured by the firm 3 Leesona ofWarwick, Rhode Island (Roberts) U.S.A. These twisting devices aregenerally indicated with reference numeral 2.

Each of said devices includes a bobbin 3 (FIG. la) which carries woundthereon two equal or different double threads. More particularly, atleast one of said threads is formed of acrylic discontinuous orstaple-fibres, of lengths also different from one another and withcharacteristics such as to react differently to heating or otherphysio-chemical treatment. It is also possible that both the doublethreads are formed of acrylic fibres as specified above.

The double yarn which passes from the device 2 and which has beensubjected to a real twist and is formed of acrylic fibres suitable toobtain therefrom the high bulk type is indicated with reference numeral3a.

Above each twisting device 2 is arranged a rotating roller 4, providedwith a peripheral groove and whose speed of rotation is chosen insuitable manner as will be described hereinafter. The yarn 3a isslidably engaged in the groove of said roller 4 in such manner that adesired speed is transmitted to the yarn from the roller. Referencenumeral 5 indicates a tensioning device for the yarn. All the rollers 4are mounted on a driven shaft 4a receiving motion from a conventionaltransmission system actuated by an electromotor (not shown).

In the part of the machine above the members just described is arrangeda roller 6 which is keyed on a shaft 7 rotating with a suitable speedwhich will be defined hereinafter.

An endless belt 8 is arranged to slide against the roller 6. Saidendless belt 8 is wound on a pair of rollers 9 and 10 revolving idly onrespective shafts carried by a support member 11. Said support member 11is pivoted, by means of a pin 12, through an arm 7a secured to the frame1 of the machine and articulated on it in 13 is the end of a tie-rod 14whose other end is adjustably ivoted in 14a on the arm 7a. A helicalspring 15 is coaxially mounted on the tie-rod 14. Such spring isnormally compressed, that is tends to expand, and is intended tomaintain the support member 11 in the position illustrated in FIG. la infull lines. In fact the force of the spring 15 acts along a line whichpasses below the fulcrum 12 so that a moment is produced which tends tocause the support member 11 to rotate in clockwise sense.

It is also possible, by overcoming the opposing action of the spring 15,to cause the support member 11 to turn to the position shown in dottedlines, in order to disengage the belt 8 from the surface of the roller6.

In such position the line of force of the spring 15 passes on the otherside of the fulcrum 12 once the spring 15 tends to cause the rotation ofthe support member 11 in anticlockwise sense, that is to maintain suchmember in the turned position due to the suitable engagement or stopprovided there.

In front of the roller 6 extends a horizontal heater 16 inside which,and longitudinally thereto is arranged a heating tube 17. The interiorof the heater 16 is heated for example by means of electricalresistances incorporated therein (not shown).

At the end of the heater 16 the tube 17 is connected with an elbow 16awhich is in turn connected with a rectilinear cooling tube 18 parallelto the tube 17.

The elbow 16a is movable in a direction parallel to the tubes 17, 18 andmay be displaced if necessary at a distance from the machine, therebyleaving free apertures 18b of the tube 18 and similar apertures (notshown) in the tube 17. Through these apertures, which are advantageouslyof 5 or 10 cm. each, the yarn may suck the air while running into thecooling zone, thereby increasing the cooling rate thereof.

Yarn guiding discs 17a and 18a of porcelain are fixed in the corners ofthe elbow 16. Instead of the apertures 18b the elbow 16a may be movablysupported outside the tubes 17 and 18 and if desired may be moved away 4from the tubes 17 and 18 remaining aligned therewith, thereby leavingfree a gap of about 10 cm. between the ends of the elbow and thecorresponding ends of the tubes 17 and 18 through which the air may besucked.

In front of the outlet of the tube 18 is arranged a roller 19 mounted ona shaft 20 which is rotated at a speed dependent upon the speed ofrotation of the shaft 7 as will be described hereinafter. Analogously towhat has been seen previously for the roller 6, an endless belt 21slides against a roller 19. Said belt 21 is wound about a pair ofrollers 22 and 23 which revolve on respective shafts supported by asupport member 24. The support member 24 is pivoted in 25 to an arm 11)secured to the fixed frame 10 of the machine by means of a rod 10.Pivoted in 26 on the member 24 is the end of a rod 27. Member 24 mayrotate about said pin 25 and assume the position (shown with dottedlines) in which the belt 21 is disengaged from the surface of the roller19, in analogous manner to the rotation of the support member 11.

The device 644 will be called hereinafter yarn feeding speed controllingdevice and the device 1927 will be called hereinafter yarn deliveryspeed controlling device. It will be appreciated that these devicesprevent any sliding of the yarn with respect to the respective rollers 6and 19 against which the yarn is pressed, by the respective belts 8 and21, so that the yarn assumes in these points a speed exactlycorresponding to the peripheral speed of the relevant roller 6 or 19.

It will be appreciated that the device 6-14 and the device 19-27 aresubstantially equivalent to a first and a second pair of feed rolls,respectively.

Reference numeral 28 indicates the support of the bobbin tube, arrangedin the upper part of the machine. On said support 28 is arranged thebobbin tube 29, while reference numeral 30 indicates the bobbin proper.Reference numeral 31 indicates an entrainment roller and 32 a threadguide mounted on a shaft 33' provided with axial reciprocal movements.These bobbin winding members are per se known in the art and a moredetailed description thereof is therefore omitted.

The yarn 3a passing from the twister 2 is entrained by the roller 4 andits speed is subsequently controlled between the roller 6 and the belt8. The speed of rotation of the roller 6 establishes the feeding speedof the yarn into the heater. On the contrary, the roller 4 over whichthe yarn may slide, has a rotation speed suitable to counterbalance witha suitable tension the centrifugal force acting on the yarn during thetwisting process.

The yarn 3a is entrained in positive manner, and without sliding andslipping, by the roller 6 due to the presence of the belt '8 whichpresses the yarn 3a against the face of the roller 6.

From the roller 6 the yarn passes through the horizontal rectilinearheater 16 and exits therefrom at the opposite end passing backwardsthrough the cooling tube 18, and is entrained in such movement by theroller 19. This latter entrainment is also achieved without any slidingor slipping due to the presence of the belt 21 which behaves in the samemanner as the belt 8.

During the passage of the yarn within the heater 16 the shrinkable orbicomponent fibres which form the entire or part of the twisted yarn oryarn having an increased twist, undergo contractions. Such contractions,however, are not uniform but depend both on the nature of the singlefibres and on their length. Due to such differential contractions thefibres, interconnected between each other, cause the diameter of theyarn to increase, thereby giving it a far greater consistency. Forexample, in case of high-bulk acrylic yarn the fibres which shrinkentrain also the non shrinkable fibres, thereby causing them to bulk orcrimp. The shrinkage of a part of the fibres or of all fibres during theheating stage causes a consequential shrinkage of the yarn within theheater and in the subsequent cooling zone.

The variation of the speed of rotation between the rollers 6 and 19 isobtained by adjusting, through the hand-wheel 34 the width of the grooveof the V-belt pulley 35 or with suitable gear transmission systems.

When the yarn is set in its new structure, it leaves roller 19 and iswound on the bobbin 30.

It has been established in practice that the machine according to theinvention perfectly achieves the predetermined objects. It has beenshown to be particularly suitable for working with double yarns to betwisted and simultaneously shrunk, or with single yarns the twist ofwhich has to be increased, and which have to be shrunk and wound inbobbins or cakes. The arrangement of the twisting device before both ofthe heater and the roller 6 arranged in front of the heater inletenables high bulk yarn to be obtained of a type which until now it wasnot possible to obtain with other machines.

Besides this, the difference between the speeds of rotation of theentraining rollers (particularly the rollers 19 and 6 arrangedrespectively at the inlet and outlet of the heater) avoids stretching ofthe yarn and at the same time an excessive shrinkage, so that therelaxation and bulking thereof occurs in a uniform and optimal manner.

It will be appreciated that in the conventional bulking or relaxingoperation by immersing skeins or cakes either in water or in steam theshrinkage of the thread is not controlled, since the thread or yarn mayfreely shrink depending on the physical characteristics and behaviourthereof at the temperature used. This may lead to dif ferences in thelongitudinal shrinkage (and consequently in the degree of bulking)between one skein and the other.

The apparatus of this invention makes it possible, among others, todetermine the axact desired shrinkage percentage.

It will be further understood that the peripheral speed of the roller 6will be in general greater by 15 up to 30% than the peripheral velocityof the roller '19. Since the yarn is clamped between the roller 6 andthe belt 8 at the entrance into the heater and is likewise clampedbetween the roller 19 and the belt 21 at the exit of the heater, the

shrinkage of the yarn within the heater cannot exceed the.

degree established by the above mentioned velocity difference.

n the other hand the temperature of the heater will be selected so thatthe entire yarn does not form undulations and maintains, within the zoneof the heat treatment, a homogeneous and reduced tension.

In this way, within the heat treating zone the yarn runs within theheating tube without touching the walls of the heating tube. During theheat treatment the yarn passes first through the heating tube and thenthrough the cooling tube where it is in contact with the air whichincreases the cooling rate. In order to maintain the yarn bulky andround and to avoid flattening thereof, it should reach the yarn deliveryspeed controlling device 19-21, at the end of the cooling tube, and beWound over the collecting bobbin only when it is no more inthenmoplastic condition. In addition, each fraction of the yarn shouldhave at disposal a certain minimum time for its shrinkage, not less thanone and a half second. Since the exit speed of the yarn, from theheating zone may attain 60 meters per minute, the path between the yarnfeeding speed controlling device 6-8 and the yarn delivery speedcontrolling device '19-21, has to be greater tahn 200 cm.

In the embodiment shown this distance has been chosen to be 300 cm. Theheater of the embodiment shown may attain 260 C. but the operatingtemperature has to be determined in connection with the nature of thefibres and the yarn speed selected.

It has been found that the best results for acrylic yarns are obtainedwith a speed of the yarn of about 60 n1./min. and with a temperature ofabout 250 C.

As already mentioned it is important that, in order to avoid flatteningphenomena, the yarn should not touch the walls of the heating tubeespecially at the exit of the heating tubes 17, where the yarn is benttwice by For this purpose yarn guides 17a and 18a are provided which aremade of porcelain discs and which maintain the yarn at a distance fromthe walls of the heating tube. Consequently, the yarn is supported atthe exit of the heater only in two points and it has been found that thequality of the yarn is not damaged by these two yarn guides.

The heaters are based on electric resistances and are permanentlycontrolled so as to avoid any variation of the temperature greater than0.51 C.

The cooling tube 18 may provide a better cooling by displacing the elbow165.

This increased cooling rate may be or may not be necessary in a numberof cases depending on the fibres used.

Hereinafter the economical advantages of use of the machine according tothis invention as compared to the conventional systems are pointed out.

Manufacture of twisted, high-bulked type yarns:

the expensive skein formation is avoided,

the shrinkage degree is controlled,

the extremely expensive unwinding of the skein is avoided and replacedby a bobbin to bobbin passage.

Manufacturing of single yarns:

the spinning costs are remarkably reduced, since a reduced initial twistmay be imparted during the spinning (the output increases) to thestarting yarn,

during the shrinkage the desired twist degree is attained,

a controlled shrinkage is obtained,

the unwinding from the skeins or from shrinked cakes is avoided with apassage from bobbin or from nonshrinked cake, to bobbin.

The temperature of the heater 16 may be regulated by any knowntemperature regulating device, such as of the controlled diodestemperature regulating apparatus manufactured by the Reactor Control Co.of San Francisco.

The yarn speed controlling devices may also be of any known kind such asthe yarn speed controlling apparatus manufactured by the French firmARCT-Ateliers Roannais de Construction Textile of Roanne, France.

What is claimed is:

1. Yarn twisting, bulking and winding machine including at least onereal twist producing device and at least one Winding device for windingthe twisted yarn into bob- 'bin and driving and transmission means forthe moving parts of the machine, wherein according to the improvementthe machine comprises further in combination between said twistproducing device and said winding device a heat treatment device for thetwisted yarn coming from said real twist producing device and near theentrance of said heat treatment device, a yarn feeding speed controllingdevice and near the exit of said heater a yarn delivery speedcontrolling device, said yarn delivery speed controlling deviceimparting a lower speed to the yarn than said yarn feeding speedimparted to the yarn by said yarn feeding speed controlling device, saidheat treatment device comprising a rectilinear heating tube having anoutlet end and a rectilinear cooling tube having an entrance end, saidheating and cooling tubes being arranged in sideby-side relationship, ashiftable U-shaped elbow connector connecting the end of said heatingtube with the entrance end of said cooling tube, said elbow connectorslidably engaging said entrance end and said outlet end and beingshiftable in a direction parallel to said cooling and heating tubes,thereby to discover openings providing communication at least betweenthe interior of said cooling tube and the outside thereof, said elbowconnector having thread guides in the corner thereof aligned with saidheating and cooling tubes.

2. Yarn twisting, bulking and winding machine including at least onereal twist producing device and at least one winding device for windingthe twisted yarn into the bobbin, a heat treatment device between saidtwist producing device and said winding device for the twisted yarn anddriving and transmission means for the moving parts of the machine,wherein according to the improvement the machine comprises further nearthe entrance of said heat treatment device at least a yarn feeding rolland at least a first pressure roll cooperating therewith and havingmeans in rolling engagement with said yarn feeding roll and clampingtherebetween the twisted yarn during its motion, and near the exit ofsaid heat treatment device at least a delivery roll for said yarn and atleast a second pressure roll cooperating therewith and having means inrolling engagement with said delivery roll and clamping therebetween theyarn during its motion, said feeding and delivery rolls rotating atdifferent speed to allow a shrinkage of said twisted yarn within saidheat treatment device.

3. Yarn twisting, bulking and winding machine according to claim 2,wherein said means in rolling engagement with said yarn feeding roll andsaid yarn delivery roll, respectively, comprise each a pair of mutuallyspaced idle pressure rolls, an endless belt wound around said idlepressure rolls and having one strand thereof in rolling engagement withthe respective of said yarn feeding and yarn delivery rolls and clampingtherebetween said yarn, swingable support means for each of said pairsof pressure rolls and spring means urging said pairs of pressure rollsagainst the respective of said feeding and delivery rolls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,453,984 11/ 1948 Gardner 571572,859,472 1 1/ 1958 Wincklhofer. 3,001,355 9/1961 Evans 5734 3,159,96412/1964 Kretsch 57157 3,166,881 1/1965 Servage 5734 3,333,409 8/ 1967Servage 5734 XR 2,459,345 1/ 1949 Sisson 34l53 XR 2,803,108 8/ 1957Stoddard et a1 57157 3,293,838 12/1966 Batsch 5734 3,316,705 5/1967 Nava5734 XR 3,383,850 5/ 1968 Ratti 5734 XR DONALD E. WATKINS, PrimaryExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 28-62

